Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Linton

Darrius Heyward Bey Inks Five-Year Deal

Andrew Linton — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:44:58 -0400

The Oakland Raiders have confirmed the signing of Darrius Heyward-Bey to a five-year deal worth $38.25 million. $23.5 million guaranteed.

Heyward-Bey is reportedly on his way to the training facility in Napa.

Heyward-Bey's deal nets himself a lesser salary to last year's seventh overall pick Sedrick Ellis who signed a five-year deal worth $49 million. There were no receivers taken in the first round last year.

Ted Ginn Jr. was the ninth overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft and his contract is worth a mere $19.6 million over five years with $14 million guaranteed.

Michael Crabtree, has reportedly not signed and is seeking money comparable with a third overall selection which would net him more money then Heyward-Bey.

The Raiders now have all of their draft picks with the exception of Stryker Sulak, signed and ready to go.

Heyward-Bey just became a very rich man, lets hope that it was money well spent.

JaMarcus Russell To Make Big Strides In 2009

Andrew Linton — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:13:14 -0400

A lot of talk is swirling around the Oakland Raider’s training camp in Alameda, CA. Specifically, what exactly JaMarcus Russell intends to do about a lackluster season in 2008.

Russell seemed to struggle early on in the teams organized team activities throwing lots of bad balls and had fans groaning early. Raiders surprise pick Darrius Heyward-Bey also seemed to suffer from a bad case of stone hands.

Russell began showing signs of improvement as the OTAs wore on, but it seemed too little too late for many NFL fans. The signing of Jeff Garcia seemed to signal that Russell was struggling with not only his mechanics, but his leadership as well.

Russell then surprised everyone by hosting his own mini-camp near his home in Mobile, Alabama. He flew down several of his wide receivers including Louis Murphy, the fourth round pick out of Florida to his home to refine his skills even further. Has Russell finally turned a corner? This seems a far cry from the less than flattering photos of Russell taken showing off his “bling” at various night spots. He also appears to be in better shape, not the svelte 300 lbs of last year.

Its unclear exactly who attended, or even what was being worked on specifically. It seems that Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins and Will Franklin were among some of those who attended.

So what can we expect from the Raiders and Russell in 2009? Early indicators according to many are that it’s not good.

I disagree and will now proceed to blow your minds.

JaMarcus Russell, is about to make a big leap. By big, I mean, turn into an above average NFL quarterback.

I believe it will be fair to call 2008 Russell’s rookie season. He started just one game in 2007, after missing all of the years training camp and preseason. Not only that, but he has gone through three different play callers (Lane Kiffin, Greg Knapp, and Tom Cable). Russell finally has just one play caller in Cable, and finally gets a full offseason worth of workouts.

Russell in his first year as a starter threw for 2,423 yards, 13 touchdown passes, and 8 interceptions. His passer rating was 77.1. On paper this seems like a pretty poor performance, and has some of the Raider Nation looking to pre-order their Sam Bradford jerseys.

But before you declare him a bust lets take a look closer some history.

Here are the first year stats for some other prominent NFL quarterbacks:

Peyton Manning: 3,739 yards, 26 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. His QB rating was 71.2 .

Donovan McNabb: passer rating (first full year) 77.8.

Drew Brees: 76.9, 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Joe Flacco (rookie of the year nominee): 2,971 yards 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. QB rating 80.3. He also fumbled 11 times.

John Elway in 1985 (over 600 attempts) QB rating was 70.2.

Russell is right there with these guys in terms of production on a sub-par squad.

JaMarcus Russell did only slightly worse than these all pros with not one wide receiver gaining over 400 yards in the entire season.

Flacco was considered for rookie of the year, and Russell is called a “bust” by “experts” who have no clue about football.

I don’t think anyone can argue the point that the Raven’s have a much more talented and better coached football team that the Raiders. Flacco was only marginally better than Russell in terms of productivity. The difference was of course, that the Ravens made it to the AFC Championship game. Russell had a below average defense, a terrible offensive line, no receivers and 3 different signal callers in 2008. Yet he still managed decent productivity for a first year starter.

Chaz Schilens, and Johnnie Lee Higgins, along with Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey look to give Russell some more options this year. Rookie Chaz Schilens and special teamer Johnnie Lee Higgins seemed to make strides at the end of the season, catching a combined four touchdowns in the final two contests.

Coupled with the Raiders potent rushing attack (10^th in 2008) and an improved offensive line, Russell seems poised to have a better season this year.

Russell will be a surprise this year, look for Oakland to sneak up on a few teams this season and be prepared to see Russell finally be able to unleash the deep threat. Teams won’t be able to stack the box with nine defenders to choke the run when every receiver on the team runs a 4.4. Hey, it’s been said before. Al Davis loves speed.

Sweet Irony: Michael Vick To The Dawg Pound

Andrew Linton — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:39:31 -0400

With everyone and their mother taking guesses as to which team Michael Vick will join in the coming weeks, I will throw my completely unjustified opinion into the ring.

Michael Vick should sign with the Cleveland Browns.

Vick to me has one real purpose in this mess.

Media attention.

No matter where he lands, he is sure to attract fans and television cameras. Two things the Browns will want in the coming years.

Now I know what you are going to say. The Browns have great attendance! This is true, but are often billed in the eyes of the NFL as a second tier team. They play in a division with the Steelers, Ravens, and the Ocho Cinco show.

This is where Vick comes in. The Browns are in the midst of a Quarterback competition and need a media spark. Where better for Vick to go, then to a team whose mascot...is...wait for it...

A DOG.

The Dawg Pound is the absolute perfect punchline for the Michael Vick story.

It would be perfect. A perfect storm of puns, media attention, fake outrage, and blogging idiots like myself the world over would have a limitless supply of Vick jokes to sustain us through the cold winter.

The Browns reap all the benefits of being on television every second of the day. Vick being in Cleveland would have the same media attention as Michael Jackson rising from the grave and performing "Thriller" in a elementary school playground.

Not to mention the benefit to Vick, by showing he can bury the hatchet with canine kind and join a family of Dawgs.

There is no real drawback here. The Browns will finally be able to garner some media attention, and Vick doesn't even have to trade in his prison orange colors.

I think Vick also plays quarterback.

Oakland Raiders: The Return of Javon Walker

Andrew Linton — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:55:24 -0400

In 2008, the fans in Oakland were excited to see a-big time receiver come back to Oakland for the first time since the departure of Randy Moss.

What they got was a receiver who couldn't stay on the field and ended the season with just 197 yards and one touchdown.

Many fans were quick to play the "I told you so" card, as Javon Walker has been hampered by injuries throughout his career.

I'm not ready to give up on him just yet.

Walker is a two-time Pro Bowler and, when healthy, is a premier receiver in the NFL. The Raiders are desperate for a clear No. 1 wideout, and despite the Nation falling in love with Chaz Schilens in the offseason, it is my belief that Walker, not Schilens, will be in the No. 1 spot this year.

Schilens is hardly a proven commodity. He has great measurables, sure, but he lacks any real production to gauge his overall effectiveness as a receiver.

Walker has serious upside.

He is explosive, has great hands, and has the ability to make tough catches in traffic, which will be desperately needed for a quarterback who has been known to be inaccurate at times.

Many have thought the Raiders would just cut Walker in the offseason to make way for a host of new receivers. It was also reported last year that Walker contemplated retiring and even went as far as to offer the Raiders a refund of sorts.

In the offseason, Walker surprised everyone by not showing up to the Raiders' organized team activities and went on record stating that he had corrective surgery on his knee just weeks before the mini-camp was scheduled.

Why is this significant? Simple.

Walker would not go under the knife if he didn't have every intention of playing football again.

He was in obvious pain all last season and claims to have suffered from chronic pain for at least the last four seasons.

Walker now claims he is pain-free and ready to go. I, for one, am excited.

What do the Raiders have to lose?

There is no clear No. 1 receiver in Oakland right now.

Darrius Heyward-Bey is not nearly ready for that responsibility, and it's my belief that neither is Schilens. He may have finished strong last season and is reportedly having a great camp, but I would like to see the veteran leadership of Walker lead the receiving corps and allow the younger receivers more time to blossom.

If nothing else, Walker has been a class act. He seems genuine about giving the fans their money's worth.

A lot of money's worth.

The Raiders haven't had a receiver eclipse 1,000 yards in a season since Moss in 2005.

Call me crazy, but I think that a healthy Walker is the Raiders' best chance to have a receiver break the 1,000-yard mark and help JaMarcus Russell take his game to the next level.

I think this is going to be a good year for Walker and the Raiders. He has a lot to prove in camp, and I will be watching with great anticipation Walker's return to his full potential.

Andrew Walter's Raiders Career a Lesson on How Not to Develop a Quarterback

Andrew Linton — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:45:44 -0400

Andrew Walter, the Raiders' whipping boy. What can I say about Walter that hasn't already been said? Well, let's start with the bad.

Walter has only won two games in his career. Walter has thrown for just three touchdown passes and 16 interceptions and has only 1,919 yards in his four-year career.

But is this the whole story?

Walter broke the 22-year Pac-10 touchdown pass record held by John Elway (77), tossing 85 touchdowns for the Arizona State Sun Devils. This record was subsequently broken by Matt Leinart's 99 touchdown passes.

Walter ended his career with 10,617 yards (fifth Pac-10 all-time) and eclipsed Jake Plummer's old record of 8,827 yards and 65 touchdowns as Arizona State's all-time leading passer.

He was the only player in school history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season and holds just about every record the school keeps for a quarterback.

So what gives? Why is Walter such a turd in the NFL?

Well, in short, he isn't.

Walter was selected with the 69th pick in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders. Walter did not play in 2005, and the Raiders went 4-12 on the season.

In 2006, Aaron Brooks struggled under center with injuries and a complete ineptitude for the game altogether, and the Raiders elected to use Walter in the infamous "Bed and Breakfast" offense, organized by Tom Walsh and Art Shell.

Walsh was actually running a bed and breakfast in Idaho, of all places, prior to the 2006 NFL season. You just can't make this stuff up.

The Raiders were just awful. I mean, epic. In one of their two victories against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Raiders had fewer than 100 yards of total offense. Walter threw for just 51 yards. His net yards for the game were a paltry 17.

Still, they managed to win in a head scratcher. The 2006 season was, of course, punctuated by the firing of pretty much everyone on the staff—as is now the custom of the Raiders.

Walter hadn't had an offensive coordinator or coach now for longer than one season. In 2007 it became more of the same The Raiders were a vacuum, no light in or out, and they suffered through another abysmal season.

Walter had been written off by now, as the majority of the snaps went to Josh McCown and rookie JaMarcus Russell.

Walter sits on the bench and wonders just what happened. Josh McCown?

2008 rolls around, and there goes another coach, and Walter still hasn't had anyone to develop under. Raider fans are restless, and Russell gets a turn and has mixed results. Walter did start one game against the Carolina Panthers, where he got housed by a tough Panther defense.

Now, fans want him gone, and Walter has no disagreement. He wants out too.

Walter is a lesson on what not to do with a quarterback prospect. He was placed in a system with no offensive line and horrible, practically nonexistent coaching. Before he had time to develop into anything other than a tackling dummy, the Raiders already had their new golden boy in Russell, and Walter was relegated to the "what if" pile.

Walter got the shaft—bad—just like other rookie quarterbacks and "what if" teams that drafted quarterbacks like Joey Harrington, only to see them fail in horrible systems and calling them busts.

Now the Raiders are making the same mistake again. Already some are calling Russell a bust before he even has a chance to do anything in a stable system. The talent is there; the talent has been there. What the Raiders need is stability. They may have finally found that in Tom Cable, but that is anyone's guess.

Take a lesson from Walter on how NOT to develop an NFL quarterback.

Josh McDaniels Is an Evil Genius

Andrew Linton — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:02:05 -0400

Josh McDaniels spits in the face of conventional wisdom. He is an evil genius.

It is generally considered a rule to live by the following axiom: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The 2009 Denver Broncos have obviously never heard of this saying before.

I will attempt to explain just what went wrong and went right with this year's Denver Broncos.

At the risk of beating a dead horse (no pun intended), we will start with Jay Cutler. Jay Cutler was drafted out of Vanderbilt in 2006 and is highly regarded as the best quarterback from that draft class that also includes Vince Young, Kellen Clemens, Matt Leinart, Tarvaris Jackson and Brodie Croyle.

Cutler and Young have the distinction of being the only two quarterbacks from this draft class to be selected to the Pro Bowl. Vince Young has since lost the starting job in Tennessee to former Giants Super Bowl loser, Kerry Collins.

Cutler had a great season in 2008.

Cutler threw for 4,526 yards, 25 touchdowns, 18 interceptions and had a passer rating of 86. He also rushed for 200 yards, and was sacked just 11 times.

The Broncos finished the season with an 8-8 record and Pat Bowlen immediately fired two time Super Bowl winning coach Mike Shanahan, and replaced him with Coach Josh McDaniels, former offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.

McDaniel's first order of business?

Trade the franchise quarterback for what would amount to Kyle Orton, Alphonso Smith and Richard Quinn.

Strike one.

Next, McDaniels enters the NFL draft for the first time as a head coach, and proclaims he only has 100 players on his board, despite most teams having as many as 500 players. Bold strategy; let's see if it pays off.

The most immediate concern is, of course, the defense. The Broncos finished 29th in total defense surrendering an average of 28 points per game. The Broncos are going to commit to the 3-4 defense in 2009 and need pass rushing specialist on the outside, along with big interior lineman and inside linebackers to stop the rush.

McDaniels drafted one defensive end in Robert Ayers.

Ayers is also too small to fit the system, and has zero use in coverage. Not to mention he was a one-year starter, and the Broncos still don't have a nose tackle. Did I mention that Ayers only had three sacks in his senior year?

Did I mention that the Broncos traded next years first round draft pick to get a nickel corner in Alphonso Smith.

Also McDaniels traded both of his third round draft choices to draft a blocking tight end!

Genius.

Strike two.

The only prize the Broncos took from the draft was Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno, who should finally put a face on the stable of running backs the Broncos use currently.

McDaniels has to fix the defense through free agency. The Broncos were giving up 7.7 yards per pass play, and 5.0 yards per rush.

McDaniels acquires an over-the-hill Brian Dawkins, and signs the 35-(36 in October)-year-old to a five-year deal.

Then, he signs inside linebacker and Cleveland Browns reject Andra Davis to start at inside linebacker alongside talented D.J. Williams.

To play nose tackle, he signs Ronald Fields, a guy who couldn't even start for the 49ers and has only nine career starts.

To play the defensive end across from Robert Ayers will either be Jarvis Moss (the horror) or Ryan McBean (oh, the horror!) a guy who has played in just one game. Jarvis Moss will most likely have to transition outside to be a rush linebacker, even though he has no pass-rush ability. Leaving the only capable player, Elvis Dumervil, to play rush linebacker on the other side.

Other notable signings included aging defensive backs Andre Goodman, and Renaldo Hill. No one starting in the Broncos secondary is under the age of 31.

Strike three, four, five and six.

McDaniels is breaking the land speed record for ruining a football team.

Or is he a true evil genius the likes of which this league has never seen?

Let's check the scorecard. The offense has gotten worse, the defense has gotten a lot worse, and nothing has been done on special teams.

More baffling, still, is how Broncos fans seem convinced that not only is McDaniels doing a good job, but actually believe that the Broncos will be better than they were last year!

Kyle Orton is not Jay Cutler. Cutler threw 18 inceptions last year. This is true, but his interception percentage was only 2.9 percent compared to Orton's 2.6 percent. Asking Orton to throw the ball more often and for more yards will undoubtedly lead to more interceptions and an overall lack of production in the offense.

Orton is a system quarterback. He is a clock management-type quarterback. He has no arm. This does not bode well for a pass-happy Broncos team.

Broncos fans cannot honestly say that they are better off without a guy who threw for 4,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last year. Not to mention losing a coach who knows the division like the back of his hand in Mike Shanahan.

Josh McDaniels is the best thing to happen to the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers since merging with the NFL.

A true evil genius.

An AFC West Comparison: Part 2

Andrew Linton — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:41:46 -0400

The Chargers are the clear favorite in the AFC West, and so far on the offensive side of the ball, that remains a fact. Now lets take a look at the defensive side of the football to determine the factors that will decide divisional games between the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers in 2009. Here is Part 1: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/205668-a-complete-comparison-chargers-vs-raiders-part-1

Begin Slideshow

An AFC West Comparison: Chargers vs. Raiders, Pt. 1

Andrew Linton — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:13:39 -0400

Its come to this at last. Comparing the Oakland Raiders to the San Diego Chargers. Instead of comparing Jamarcus Russell to Philip Rivers to see who is the better overall quarterback (It's Rivers) I will instead break down each team with their individual strengths and weaknesses to get an overall picture of the two teams. Its clear the Chargers have dominated the AFC West for the past few seasons and have absolutely housed the Raiders in 11 straight contests. But who will reign supreme in the AFC West this year? Lets break it down by positions. I discussed the Chiefs and Broncos in this article: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/197899-battle-for-supremacy-afc-west-quarterback-showdown

Begin Slideshow

Battle For Supremacy: AFC West Quarterback Showdown

Andrew Linton — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:46:21 -0400

The Oakland Raiders have their work cut out for them this year, playing against a slew of tough opponents. Five playoff teams await the Raider on the gridiron this year, but we will get to those in a later article. For now, lets focus on two teams at a time in our own division: the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs.

It has been speculated over and over that Cassel and Orton will somehow become dominant forces in the AFC west. Allow me the indulgence of disagreeing.

When Brady went down in, ironically, a game against the Chiefs, many fans sat around scratching their heads as to who exactly was Tom Brady's backup.

Enter Matt Cassel.

Who he is and where he comes from is still a mystery to many NFL fans. Cassel was a perennial backup at USC behind the likes of Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Cassel never started a game in the NFL, or in college for that matter.

I'm sure Raider fans remember the 49-26 drubbing that Cassel handed the Raiders last year. But I can assure you, that is all part of the past, Raider-nation.

Cassel had many things going for him in that game. I shall list them for your convenience:

Receivers. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, etc.
An offensive line that wasn't awful
Great coaching
A decent defense

Cassel now has to deal with the following as the Chiefs staring quarterback:

Inconsistent receivers, although Dwayne Bowe will be very effective, but will surely draw double coverage without Tony Gonzalez
A giant question mark in the coaching sector, having a former Patriots executive doesn't make you a winner, despite what everyone seems to believe
A horrible defense. I mean horrible.
A line which I believe is slightly worse than New England's line, but not by too much. Although, with Waters disgruntled, it could get a lot worse.

50 Sacks again this season? Most likely, and here is why.

The Chiefs running game will remain semi-potent to be sure, with Larry Johnson, Jamaal Charles, Kolby Smith, and Jackie Battle will create a competent rushing attack. But their defense has not improved at all.

An anemic 10 sacks was all the Chiefs could muster last year. The addition of Tyson Jackson will be mitigated with the Chiefs shifting to a 3-4. The Chiefs defense is in shambles, which means they will be playing from behind in most, if not all, of their contests this season.

This simply means: run, Matt, run. Run for your life.

Cassel will be sacked a lot this year. He will also be forced to throw the ball on the run, which for a quarterback like him will almost certainly result in more interceptions. If Cassel gets sacked 47 times with New England, that number will only rise on the much-worse-off Chiefs. I'm afraid that the Chiefs have been had. They bought an expensive tackling dummy.

It has been pointed out on NFL.com and other sites that Cassel's QB rating was around 28 when opposing teams blitzed. OUCH. You think other teams will watch his game film?

Cassel will perform better than Thigpen, but that won't be enough to lift the Chiefs from the bottom of the barrel in the AFC west as some ridiculous sports writers have claimed. Cassel the second-coming of Brady? I think not.

Next, we come to the wayward Broncos. I almost feel sorry for the fans in Denver for the way their promising team last season has imploded in the offseason. I'm not just talking about the most boneheaded trade I've seen since...well...Randy Moss to New England for a fourth-round pick was pretty bad. Then again, I don't feel THAT bad.

I digress. The Broncos will be better than the Chiefs this year. That much is certain. Their offense is still dangerous even without Cutler, but they will soon learn the cost of their mistake when they send former Purdue wunderkind onto the field, Kyle Orton.

Orton has shown some much improved maturity and poise in recent years, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Orton may not even start this year. There is an open competition with Chris Simms.

Simms initially seemed promising during the 2005 season, in which he came in after then-starting quarterback Brian Griese had a season-ending injury. He led the Bucs to a playoff berth with over 2,000 yards and a passer rating of 81.4.

Then, he imploded the next season. We all know what happened next—ruptured spleen, release, Titans, released to make room for a punter. Ouch.

Neither one of these quarterbacks are horrible. But when you are talking about them starting for a team with one of the worst defenses in the league, that's bad news. Like Cassel, their main problem will be playing from behind.

We know the Broncos aren't short on running backs. I believe they currently employ nine running backs who have potential to touch the football this year.

Here is the reason the Broncos quarterbacks will suffer this year:

Horrible defense. Having to play from behind is not a good way to get mediocre quarterbacks like Orton and Simms to win games.
Josh McDaniels. I'm not one of the believers who thinks just because you were in New England, you're a winner. So far, he has been a train wreck. Broncos fans must pray he can coach as well as he can run his mouth.
No Mike Shanahan. This needs no explanation.
The fans. Even if Kyle Orton and Simms perform marginally well, they won't be Jay Cutler. The fans will have little or no tolerance for failure.

I believe Orton has a far better chance to get the job than Simms. He's a better quarterback with a more consistent track record. But, at the first sign of trouble, don't be surprised to see him get yanked and see the Broncos play the quarterback shuffle.

The Broncos have to pray that Knowshon Moreno is the second-coming of Walter Payton, or else this will turn out to be another disappointing season.

In closing, the Broncos are in a much better position then the Chiefs, despite what everyone seems to believe. They are largely unchanged in their core from last year. The loss of Shanahan and Cutler will definitely take their edge away.

Next time, the Chargers and the Raiders!

Oakland Raiders Fans, Get a Hold of Yourselves

Andrew Linton — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:27:28 -0400

Let me start this article by saying, in no small way, that I love the Oakland Raiders. I don't have the benefit of living on the west coast or seeing any of their games live (unless they play on the east coast and I have the money or means to see them). I have to haul myself to a sports bar, or some other venue every Sunday to see my Raiders in action.

Despite my not being there in person, consider myself a die hard fan.

That being said, I have to say, that through conversing with other fans on the inter webs, I am appalled. Stunned, and just don't right confounded by Raider fans.

I've never seen a group of fans, more divided about their team.

It may have something to do with the fact that the Raiders in recent years have not fared well in NFL, and find themselves the butt of many jokes. Losing takes a toll on a persons psyche.

I would like a moment to discuss these types of fans, and their afflictions.

There are several breeds of Raider fans that I wish to address.

The illiterate catch-phrase spewer: This is the fan who prefaces every comment with a derogatory remark no matter how benign the subject matter is.

These fans can rarely articulate their remark in a meaningful way, and no matter what...always end every remark with the following, which makes me cringe every time I read it. "Win Lose or Tie, silver and black til I die." Wow.

The Raider Hater: These are the Raider "fans" that no matter what the subject matter being discussed always blame Al Davis for everything. They really drank their Haterade this morning and NEVER have anything positive to say about the team.

The Blind Faithful Raider: The polar opposite of the Raider Hater, is a fan that cannot see any criticism about his team, no matter how valid for any reason. Even slight critiques of his/her team forces this fan to fly into an uncontrollable rage. Often see spouting the same tired catchphrases as the " Illiterate Catch-Phrase Spewer."

I used to be the biggest fan, fan: These are the fans that say they have had enough and will NEVER watch the Raiders again until Al Davis dies, or the Raiders are good again. They defend their position by stating they have always been the worlds biggest Raider fan, but can't live with Al Davis wrecking their team...er...former team.

The Apologist: These people are ashamed to be Raider fans, and often hide this shame by conversing with other teams fans. These fans ALWAYS have a second favorite team, who are never out of playoff contention.

While all of these archetypes of fandom are prevalent with most teams, I would agree, Raider fans seem especially vocal about their positions. You will never see a group of fans that will tear into each other like rabid wolves quite like Raider Fans. I truly believe that Raider fans hate other Raider fans more than they hate other teams fans.

Whats the point of all this you ask?

And I answer:

People, fellow Raider fans, friends...can't we all just get along?

Not one of us likes to lose, but that is no reason to continue like this. Lashing out, back and forth at one another for a passion we all SHARE. The Raiders. We should spend our time engaging in meaningful discussions on the state of the Raiders, and hating the crap out of the Broncos and their silly, silly fan base.

I myself am guilty at least a few times with shouting in anger at other fans...and some of them deserve it. But that's not the point. What is the point is that we, the Raider Nation, must heal. We must heal like our team must heal. They need us now more than ever.

Lets remember the time (or for younger fans like myself, watch on YouTube) that George Atkinson almost ripped Lynn Swanns head off. Or the time Raiders were the No. 1 team in all the land. Lets remember Gannon, and Brown, Tatum and Stabler. Howie Long...before he made Firestorm...lets just try to remember.

I implore you all my friends, lets put aside our hate for one another, and instead do what we do best. Hate others.

Thank you. WIN LOSE OR TIE RAIDERS 'TIL I DIE.

That still makes me cringe.